When Venerable Francis Mary of the Cross Jordan established the Apostolic Teaching Society--which would later become the Salvatorian Family of priests, brothers, sisters, and lay members--he placed the Society under the protection of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Under her title "Queen of Apostles," Father Jordan saw Mary as a model and mother for the Salvatorians. Mary featured prominently in many of Father Jordan's sermons, letters, and talks to the community, but his devotion comes through in a special way in his "Spiritual Diary."

Today, Salvatorians throughout the world celebrate the Blessed Mother in a special way on October 11, the Solemnity of Mary, Mother of the Savior. In the collect of the Mass for this feast, Salvatorians pray:

God, our Father,

you
willed your only Son to be born of the Virgin Mary

for the salvation of the world.

Grant
that,

through
the intercession of the same Mother of the Savior,

we may
by grace acknowledge more deeply

the
mystery of his Cross,

and so
come to share in his resurrection and life.

We ask
this through our Lord, Jesus Christ, your Son,

who
lives and reigns with you

in the
unity of the Holy Spirit

one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Saint Joseph

Feastdays: March 19 and May 1

To celebrate Saint Joseph is to celebrate
the Mystery of the Incarnation. In fact, Joseph’s life and witness are so tied
to the mystery of the Word-Made-Flesh that Joseph has come to hold an
especially privileged place among the saints and in the life of the Church.

The Gospel passages related to Saint
Joseph remind us that, while Joseph’s relationship with the child entrusted to
his care was unique, he loved Jesus with a father’s love. Joseph accepted the
responsibility entrusted to him in a spirit of humility and silent submission
and the Gospels praise this “Righteous Man” (Matthew 1:19) who acted in faith,
doing what God asked of him. A tradesman (i.e. tektōn, cf. Mt 13:55; Mk 6:3), Joseph was Jesus’ first teacher and
he would have trained him in his craft and in the ways of faith and life in the
world:

Those
who work with their hands “maintain the fabric of the world” (Sirach 38:34).
Joseph’s work for daily bread taught the child the value of the effort to gain
eternal life. Later on, Jesus remembered his work as a carpenter when he said
in the synagogue at Capernaum, “Do not work for the food that perishes, but for
the food that endures for eternal life” (John 6:27). His work as a carpenter
and as the Messiah has really maintained the fabric of the world. (Lucien
Diess, C.S.Sp., in Joseph, Mary, Jesus).

Joseph’s goodness and love for Jesus
ultimately enabled the boy to discover in his earthly abba (“daddy”) the image of the Father in heaven.

For
centuries, this special relationship between Joseph and Jesus has inspired
Christians to turn to Saint Joseph in times of need. For this reason, Blessed
Pius IX declared Saint Joseph to be the special patron and protector of the
Church. Pope Leo XIII later reflected, “It is fitting and most worthy of
Joseph’s dignity that, in the same way that he once kept unceasing holy watch
over the family of Nazareth, so now does he protect and defend with his
heavenly patronage the Church of Christ” (Quamquam
Pluries [1889]).

Saint Michael the Archangel

Feastday: September 29

The
tradition of honoring the Archangel Michael on the 29th day of
September dates back to the early part of the fifth century, when a basilica
was dedicated in his honor on the Via Salaria in Rome. Since 1969, this day has
been celebrated as a common feast honoring Michael and the Archangels Gabriel
and Raphael (who had formerly been commemorated on March 24 and October 24,
respectively).

These
three Archangels, and indeed all the hosts of heaven, are a “great multitude of
very bright living lamps; they are the vast army of heavenly spirits, shining
in the blessed life and living in great beauty and adornment, because when they
were created by God they did not grasp at proud exaltation but strongly
persisted in divine love” (Saint Hildegard of Bingen in Scivias I.2.1).

Honoring
God with their whole beings, the angels are the servants and messengers of God,
forever looking upon the face of the Father in heaven (cf. Matthew 18:10). More
than this, however, it was the Angels who first proclaimed the Good News of the
Incarnation and Resurrection, and they will be present at Christ’s return,
which they will also announce. The Angels could be said to be the first
“evangelists,” telling the Good News. Today’s feast reminds us that we are also
called to announce the presence of God to a world desperate for the message of the
Savior’s unconditional love.

In every Mass the Church
joins her voice to the Angels’ song of praise as we sing “Holy, Holy, Holy…”
and we trust that the Angels continue to watch over us, protecting and guiding
us along life’s way. Pray for the grace to center your time, prayer, work, and
worship in God alone so that you may “light and guard, rule and guide” others
along the right path.